Skincare startup Seresilk has developed ethical products so the silkworms live after harvest

Skincare brand Seresilk, is on a mission to create an ethical silk industry and has developed chemical and cruelty-free silk-based products as a first step to achieve that.

Taylor Battistella founded Seresilk in 2021 having worked with silk since he was 12. His first business was selling silkworms to schools and retail customers.

Learning of the therapeutic benefits of the natural thread for skincare, Battistella decided to turn his expertise to skincare and Seresilk was born, derived from the Ancient Greek word ‘Seres,’ translating to ‘land of silk.’

“Seresilk was developed out of a desire to create a hassle-free skincare routine that harnesses the incredible natural healing properties of silk,” Battistella said.

The silk trade emerged out of China where the women at silk farms were renowned for having the softest hands in the world, and despite the efforts of their manual labour, silk got the credit.

Seresilk uses cruelty and chemical-free Ahimsa (the Hindi word for peaceful or not hurting living things) silk, harvested without harming the silkworms.

Seresilk gentle silk cleanser. Photo: Supplie

The company’s products include gentle silk cleanser, pure silk exfoliator, silk night serum and silk night cream. 

Typically, harvesting silk means the death of the silk moth larvae (the cocoon is boiled in hot water before the ), something animal welfare advocates criticised, along with modern India’s founder Mahatma Gandhi, which led to the creation of Ahimsa silk.

“Silk is typically harvested using cruel rearing practices; however, our silk is unique and is not only Australian but also completely cruelty-free,” Battistella said. 

Seresilk uses recyclable packaging, and as a way of giving back, the brand has partnered with three charities.

Online sales are rounded up with buyers given options to vote on who the donations go to. The funds raised are then allocated on a pro-rata basis monthly according to the percentage of votes each option is selected for.